Have you ever wondered why your lovely dog prefers your mother over you, even though you adore him? I created excellent content for you because I received numerous messages about this topic via our “contact us” page.
Why does my dog prefer my mother to me? Because of resource guarding, stress, anxiety, and observation, your dog may prefer your mother to you. Dogs can sense emotional shifts in humans; your mother is the dog’s favorite person or alpha, your mother treats him well, and the dog is accustomed to you.
If your dog is attached to your mother, you are fortunate in that your dog will be cared for while you are away. However, if he is attached, there may be underlying issues. So, let us investigate the reasons for this.
Reasons Your Dog Likes Your Mother More Than You
A friend recently called me (I won’t mention her name because this is a minor psychological issue) and told me a little story.
I believe it would be appropriate to begin with a true story because you are in the same situation but stick with me until the end because I’m confident you’ll be fine after reading this.
She has a male husky who is nearly 2.5 years old. She always cared for him, feeding, exercising, and taking him to the vet, you name it. She also stated that this dog used to be everyone’s dog.
This husky used to spend time with each family member, but this dog had a special bond with my friend because she was the puppy’s owner.
But then, all of a sudden, this dog spent all of his time with her mother, ignoring everyone else. As a result, the dog became selfish, which is the funniest part. He will only approach her if she has food or will pet him.
The situation then deteriorated. When my friend’s mother left, this husky began to whine and run back and forth from door to window, completely ignoring my friend. Then I looked into it, and they are now perfectly fine.
OK, storytime is over, but I do believe you may have the same experiences. So, let’s figure out the goals and possible solutions you can take.
So, here is a list of the reasons:
- Protecting your mother’s resources
- Your dog regards your mother as his alpha
- Obsession
- Dogs can recognize physical and emotional changes in humans
- Anxiety or stress
- Dogs, like people, have favorite companions
- Your dog is a one-person dog
- She provides excellent care for your dog
Your Dog May Like Your Mom More Than You Because It Is Resource-Guarding Your Mom
If your dog appears attached to your mother, it may be a resource-guarding situation. If your mother is your dog’s favorite person and most valuable possession, he will guard her.
Check to see if your dog follows your mother around. Having an affectionate canine companion all the time provides her with numerous advantages.
However, if this is a resource-guarding situation, things can get worse. Check to see if your dog exhibits these behaviors to confirm that statement.
- Growling
- Biting
- Lunging and Air Snapping
- Freezing
- Eating faster
- Ears pinned flat against the head
- Hard stare
- Braced body position over the item
- Raising lips and baring teeth
- Taking an item and moving away
If so, your dog likes your mom more than you because the dog is resource-guarding your mother. But don’t be concerned. There are several things you can do to assist in resolving this issue. So let’s talk about it under solutions.
Your Dog Thinks Of Your Mom As His Alpha
Your dog may prefer your mother to you because he regards your mother as his pack leader. Canines are pack animals, and they show some respect and attachment to the leader of their pack.
It makes no difference whether you are a student or an adult. Your mother will look after the dog if you are not home during the day.
As a result, in this situation, your dog is more likely to regard your mother as his alpha. It makes no difference how much you love him.
However, this does not imply that your dog dislikes you. On the contrary, your canine companion regards your mother as the family’s authority figure.
If you’re wondering why this is happening, consider that dogs are social creatures who seek strong leadership in their pack. However, there are several ways to strengthen the bond between you and the dog. Let’s talk about it under solutions.
Your Dog May Like Your Mom More Than You Due To Obsession
If your dog is overly attached to your mother, you may be dealing with an obsession. This is a common problem in puppies but can also occur in adult dogs.
If your dog follows your mother around and sits in the same room with her, this does not indicate that the dog is unhealthy.
Typically, these dogs want to be near their favorite person, which is a natural situation. However, because of this issue, your mother cannot leave the house for five minutes, and he may attempt to follow her.
It can be aggravating once she gets home. He refuses to leave Mom’s side until she forces him to. Don’t be concerned. This situation is manageable for you. Let’s look at some potential solutions under solutions.
Dogs Can Recognize Physical And Emotional Changes In Humans
We all know that dogs’ senses are far superior to humans’. So if your dog suddenly becomes more attached to your mother than to you, consider whether your mother has recently experienced any health issues.
Dogs are sensitive to human emotional and physical changes.
Because Of Stress Or Anxiety, Your Dog May Prefer Your Mother To You
If your dog is overly attached to your mother, he is more likely to experience separation anxiety. I’m not saying that’s the only reason because there could be others.
However, stress and anxiety can contribute to the occurrence of this problem. Perhaps this situation is the result of some changes or human activity.
Dogs with separation anxiety typically exhibit the following symptoms:
- Howling and barking
- Urinating and defecating
- Escaping
- Chewing
- Digging
- Destruction
- Pacing
If your dog exhibits these symptoms, he is more likely to experience separation anxiety. As a result, your dog may be obsessed with your mother.
Stress can also be a contributing factor. Check for the following signs to confirm that statement:
- Barking and whining
- Shaking and pacing
- Yawning
- Drooling
- Excessive licking
- Panting
- Hiding
- Escaping
If so, your dog is stressed. Don’t worry; I’m happy to give you the most practical solutions before the end of this article. So, stick with the article.
Your Dog May Like Your Mom More Than You Simply Because Dogs Have Favorite Friends, Just Like People
We know that humans have a lot of favorite people. I’m sure you do, too. There isn’t much difference between dogs because dogs also have their favorite person.
In your case, this favorite person seems like your mom, and your dog may give loads of attention to her.
But it doesn’t mean your dog likes your mom more than you or doesn’t like you. But he enjoys your mom and shows it.
I want to emphasize that you shouldn’t worry too much; you can do nothing about this in such a situation. What you can do is, thrive the bond between both of you by using several tactics. So, don’t worry; I will give you those tactics under solutions.
Your Dog Is A One-Person Dog
If you notice that your dog likes your mom more than you, it could be a one-person dog. These dogs prefer to choose one family member with whom they form a strong bond.
Here is the list of top one-person dogs:
- Akita
- Beagle
- Boxer
- Brittany
- Chihuahua
- Dachshund
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shepherd
- Great Pyrenees
- Irish Wolfhound
- Kuvasz
- Rough Collie
- St. Bernard
- Sky Terrier
- Yorkshire Terrier
She Treats Your Dog Well
If your dog prefers your mother to you, your mother is most likely treating your dog well. As a result, you are powerless to intervene. You should be pleased because someone cares about your dog. Isn’t that lovely?
Your Dog May Like Your Mom More Than You Because The Dog Is Used To You
Actually, this is different from what you believe. Because you are usually your dog’s favorite person. I also explained this to my friend when dealing with her problem.
I understand your predicament, but please believe me – your dog adores you. However, he has grown accustomed to you because you are constantly around the dog.
We think of you because you care about him and, more importantly, you are a part of his life. On the other hand, your mother may do exciting things like give him treats and take him out to see and explore new things.
When we consider your dog’s point of view, it’s a unique and exciting experience for him. But that doesn’t mean your dog doesn’t love you or prefers your mother over you.
What Can You Do If Your Dog Is Obsessed With Your Mom, To Improve The Bond Between You And The Dog?
As previously stated, there are several causes for this problem. However, these reasons may be normal or abnormal.
So, when we consider normal reasons, you can do nothing because that is nature and its behavior.
However, you must take appropriate approaches to resolve abnormal behaviors such as anxiety, stress, obsession, and other issues.
Otherwise, these behavioral issues will worsen, which will be extremely inconvenient for you and your family. So, let’s look at the various approaches you have.
- Communicate clearly
- Spend time together and show your care
- Be playful with him
- Train him
- Take care of what your dog likes and dislikes
- Physically touch him
- Stimulate your dog’s brain
- Release its stress and anxiety
Communicate clearly with your dog
You must communicate clearly with your dog. The training session should be flawless and impactful. Use a specific set of words as commands while spending time with him.
As a result, you can avoid some unexpected confusion and misunderstandings.
Spend time together and show you care
Spending extra time with your canine companion is essential for the health of your relationship. When we think of a relationship with a dog, we think of being together and sharing our joys and experiences.
Make an effort to spend meaningful time with your dog. Take walks, play in the backyard, cuddle him, etc. Then you’ll never feel like your dog prefers your mother to you.
Be playful with him
Many studies have shown that when parents play with their children, their bond is much stronger than when they do not. The same reasoning can be applied here.
Participating in games can strengthen your bond with your dog. So here are some games you can play with your dog:
- Casual agility
- Retrieval games
- Digging in the sandbox
- Treat dispensing toys
- Fetch
- Hide and seek
- Frisbee toss
Train him
You know you must provide your canine companion with several training sessions at the start of his life. However, if you can incorporate those training pieces, creating a perfect bond between you and the dog is simple.
So, if you’re interested, try the following training.
- Lure coursing
- Agility training
- Field events
- Rally
Those are hilarious training sessions, and you can enter competitions. Over time, you will see no such thing as “my dog likes my mom more than me” because you have created a strong bond between you.
Take care of what your dog likes and dislikes
I want to emphasize the importance of learning your dog’s likes and dislikes. You can easily develop a strong bond between the two if you know your dog’s preferences, such as favorite foods, toys, and games.
Physically touch him
It doesn’t matter if you’re always on the go because you must make time each day to pet and cuddle your canine companion.
Bathe him, groom him, and you can help them relax and form a strong bond with you by doing these things.
Stimulate your dog’s brain
If you believe your dog prefers your mother over you, this is not true because your dog may prefer not to interact with anyone or anything.
But he might go after your mother because she has puppy treats or something else he likes. This is due to boredom, and you must find ways to stimulate his brain.
So, here are some ideas for stimulating your dog’s brain:
- Give puzzle treats
- Provide adequate exercises
- Bring him another companion
- Give raw bones
Release its stress and anxiety
Above all, your dog may become overly attached to your mother because of stress and anxiety. So, you can try these things to help your dog cope with stress and anxiety:
- Give enough exercises
- Keep physical contact to soothe your dog
- Use music therapy techniques
- Massage your dog.
- Use calming coats
- Stick with a routine
- Consult a Veterinarian
Things To Be Aware Of
So we have reached the end. However, before you proceed, there are a few things you should be aware of. So, let’s find out what they are.
Correct your mindset
If you believe your dog prefers your mother to you, you must change your perspective. Because that’s your mom, and there’s nothing wrong with your mom and the dog getting along.
Consult a veterinarian
See a veterinarian as soon as possible if your dog is acting strangely. You are the only person who truly understands your pet.
It can be a difficult suggestion ipressed for time. However,avoid wastingand If you are kind of a busy person, it can be kind of a problematic suggestion. But you can stay away from unnecessary time eating works that ing that adds no value to anyone and instead devote that time to your dog. He’ll be pleased.
Conclusion
Dogs can behave strangely for a variety of reasons. As a result, you may believe your dog prefers your mother to you. As a result, this entire article is devoted to this issue and covers a wide range of topics. I hope you liked it. Please share your experiences in the comments section. Have a wonderful day.
